Using Your Five Senses to Craft a Birth Plan
Birth is an intense experience that can sometimes be overwhelming. Grounding ourselves in our senses helps facilitate birth and can enhance our capacity to navigate and cope.
In crafting birth plans and preferences, I like to consider sensory input based on each birthing mother and person’s unique nervous system. Here are some ways to think about how each of the five senses can inform the structure of a birth plan.
Sight. Candles (LED if at a birth center or hospital), twinkle lights, and photos to focus on can help provide a calming environment or a grounding visual. Some people find it helpful to hone in on a focal point in the room or outside the window during intense contractions. Dim lighting can help encourage the hormones of birth to flow naturally.
Sound. Some people might prefer to have absolute quiet during their birth. Some might prefer to play a playlist – either with earbuds or out loud on a speaker. Different types of sound might be more preferable during different stages of labor and birth. Hypnobirthing affirmations and soundtracks, calming music (whatever that means to you), familiar music, and nature sounds like ocean waves might feel right. If you are able to birth at home in a place with ambient nature noise (not available to everyone), that could be lovely. Some people like to play a more upbeat playlist during early labor while getting movement going – or during pushing. It’s up to you!
Touch/feel. If birthing at a facility, bringing a soft blanket from home that you can snuggle or feel with your hands can bring a sense of safety to your birth. If you’re birthing at home, you’ll have lots of options to touch material and items that are familiar to you – like a soft couch, a fuzzy blanket, a furry friend. Familiarity and safety go together. Some birthing people like to hold combs or acupressure balls. These can also be brushed against the skin or on the soles of the feet. Ice packs and heat packs can be used too. Having your hair brushed or using a head massager can be relaxing.
Scent. It may be helpful to identify what scents you are drawn to before you go into labor. Sniffing essential oils or using a diffuser can help maintain calm during labor. The scent of peppermint could also help relieve nausea. On the other hand, some scents might aggravate nausea and vomiting during the most intense parts of labor. In that case, having a plan to remove scents can be a good idea – for example, starting with a lower proportion of scent in the diffuser or removing the diffuser from the room. You may ask people in your birth space to avoid bringing in certain foods or using scented body products. Your birth center or hospital may have essential oils on hand. Ask during your birthing center tour.
Taste. Some foods and drinks might taste different or even offensive during labor. Having a variety on hand can help ensure you stay strong and hydrated. For example, consider having some sweet (like smoothies, honey, and granola bars), salty (pretzels, nut butters, and broth), and tart (berries and flavored electrolyte beverages). Peppermint flavored candy or citrusy flavors like sorbet or lemon candy might taste refreshing or even help with nausea during labor. Sour flavors can sometimes help alleviate anxiety.
If you’ve never given birth before (and don’t know what to expect or what sensory input would seem right for you during labor), consider your day-to-day preferences. Consider, too, what was helpful for you during times when you were sick or overwhelmed.
To make a plan that works for you, talk to your doula and trusted friends or family. Bring your perinatal care providers into the discussion to find out if they have any tips and tricks; these could include a perinatal therapist, midwife, ob/gyn, or family doctor.